Spurrier, Gamecocks ready to start season

Sunday

Aug 24, 2014 at 8:53 PM

Talking season is over and football season is here. After months of speculation and anticipation, South Carolina and Texas A&M will open the college football season Thursday night at 6 p.m. at Williams-Brice Stadium.

By MATT CONNOLLYmatthew.connolly@shj.com

COLUMBIA — Talking season is over and football season is here.After months of speculation and anticipation, South Carolina and Texas A&M will open the college football season Thursday night at 6 p.m. at Williams-Brice Stadium.USC coach Steve Spurrier took a few jabs at Carolina's rivals this offseason, as he is known to do, but the Head Ball Coach said during his weekly press conference Sunday afternoon that the Gamecocks are excited to be done talking and ready to begin playing.“Our guys are anxious to show the country we can play ball and we have a lot of good players also,” Spurrier said. “We are certainly glad the game is at our place, at Williams-Brice, where we have had a good run the last two and a half years. Hopefully, we can continue. I know our fans will be fired up and ready to do their part.”Thursday will be the first meeting between Texas A&M and South Carolina as beginning this year the two teams are permanent cross-division opponents.Spurrier expects the Gamecocks to have their hands full against a young but talented Aggies squad.“They are probably a little bit like us in that they haven't had a bunch of superstars to talk about this preseason and their players are anxious to earn their way, just like our guys,” Spurrier said. “Their coach, I think, has won more games the first two years there than any coach in the history of their school. They have a lot of momentum going and they have a lot of good players. We are looking forward to seeing how we do.”Prior to Spurrier's press conference USC released its depth chart for this week.Spurrier caused a stir last Wednesday when he proclaimed starting running back Mike Davis was questionable for the opener because of a rib injury that was keeping him from practicing, but Davis returned to practice the next day and was listed as the starter on the depth chart.Spurrier expects his star running back to be fine for Thursday and added the Gamecocks have plenty of options behind Davis.“Hopefully Mike will be full speed, 100 percent by Thursday,” Spurrier said. “We think he will be, but Brandon Wilds and Shon Carson have both had really good preseason practices.”Shaq Roland, Pharoh Cooper and Byrnes product Nick Jones will start at receiver for the Gamecocks, while Damiere Byrd is also expected to see plenty of playing time.Carolina receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr. said Roland, Cooper, Jones and Byrd will likely see the majority of the playing time against the Aggies.“We're going to get those four guys ready to go 60 minutes and we'll see what happens,” he said.Cody Waldrop is listed as the starter at right guard and is expected to fill in for Mike Matulis, who suffered a sprained knee during practice and will be out until at least the middle of the season.Clayton Stadnik or Will Sport will start at center for the Gamecocks.Despite the injury to Matulis, Spurrier feels good about USC's offensive line.“All of them have played quite a bit,” he said. “Clayton Stadnik, Cody Waldrop in there, both centers, both of them can play guard. Cody might be a little better guard than he is a center, to tell you the truth.”Defensive line and defensive back are the two biggest areas of concern for the Gamecocks entering the season as USC must replace three starting defensive linemen from last year's team, as well as both starting cornerbacks.Gerald Dixon, Gerald Dixon Jr. and Darius English will be counted on to play well up front for Carolina, while true freshman Al Harris Jr. and former safety Brison Williams will start at cornerback for the Gamecocks.In addition to Harris Jr., freshmen cornerbacks Chris Lammons and Wesley Green will be counted on to contribute immediately.“Wesley Green, Chris Lammons, Al Harris Jr., they'll all play a lot,” Spurrier said of the young DBs. “They're ready to play, those three guys.”